'Harry Potter & The Cursed Child'

DrToffnar

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Any other Potter fans here read it yet?

Got it yesterday morning and finished it by the afternoon.

Not that great imo... it's going to be said countless time, but it really does read like slightly above average fan fiction.

I will concede that certain aspects of the script would have course lend themselves more to an actual stage performance. But all the things I don't like about it are purely plot related. Some gaping plot holes that not only make the story as a whole feel a little trashy and underdeveloped, but as it's been certified 'canon' by JK, these plot holes completely undermine certain ideas from previous books.

I also found the majority of the characters to be massively underdeveloped. Considering JK's best attribute as a writer is her ability to write complex and nuanced characters, I was surprised at just how little effort was made here. ESPECIALLY in regards to the villain and her backstory (or lack thereof).

Overall, not a bad story. Just not in the same league as the original 7 books and should certainly not be considered canon with all the plot holes.
 

jubei

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DrToffnar said:
Any other Potter fans here read it yet?

Got it yesterday morning and finished it by the afternoon.

Not that great imo... it's going to be said countless time, but it really does read like slightly above average fan fiction.

I will concede that certain aspects of the script would have course lend themselves more to an actual stage performance. But all the things I don't like about it are purely plot related. Some gaping plot holes that not only make the story as a whole feel a little trashy and underdeveloped, but as it's been certified 'canon' by JK, these plot holes completely undermine certain ideas from previous books.

I also found the majority of the characters to be massively underdeveloped. Considering JK's best attribute as a writer is her ability to write complex and nuanced characters, I was surprised at just how little effort was made here. ESPECIALLY in regards to the villain and her backstory (or lack thereof).

Overall, not a bad story. Just not in the same league as the original 7 books and should certainly not be considered canon with all the plot holes.
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Mooooo...moooooooo....mmm gotta love some of that cash cow
 

Akagi

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It wasn't written by JK Rowling. It is a script written out in a book, based on a story by JK Rowling. I'm not going to read it and I'm a self confessed Potter nutcase. Or I was. :p
 

DrToffnar

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Acme said:
It wasn't written by JK Rowling. It is a script written out in a book, based on a story by JK Rowling. I'm not going to read it and I'm a self confessed Potter nutcase. Or I was. :p
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True, but she greenlit the story elements they wanted to implement and change. It's the fact she herself has said it's canon... I just don't understand how she can say that when it clearly undermines her previous work...
 

Damien.

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There are a few tickets available for December.

Just got a pair for the wife and myself on the 21st, delighted.

Be prepared to pay a premium price though as the tickets for sale are considered "best in the house".
 

DrToffnar

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Damien. said:
There are a few tickets available for December.

Just got a pair for the wife and myself on the 21st, delighted.

Be prepared to pay a premium price though as the tickets for sale are considered "best in the house".
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Cool! Despite my hatred for the story, I imagine it translates pretty well to the stage.
 

DrToffnar

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killsta said:
I saw the play a few months ago, thought it was excellent.

I can imagine reading the script in the 'book' to be rather dull.
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I wouldn't say it's dull. More narratively and tonally inconsistent with the rest of the universe. It's just a nonsense story that falls back on the laziest plot device JK ever came up with. It was actually quite clever the way it was used in PoA. It had a strict set of rules that she built the story around. In CC, It's just there so that they can show of the greatest hits of characters.

Like I've said previously, I'm sure it translates beautifully to the stage but that doesn't make the plot any less ridiculous to fans who know the universe.
 
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Tummy

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Wrote my thesis on Harry Potter :), uber nerdy Harry Potter fan (along with The Lord of the Rings/Tolkien) and adore the books. The films are somewhat of a guilty pleasure.

Could barely get past the first few pages of The Cursed Child, thought it was utter drivel, it was like bad fan fiction where the characters/universe just 'feel' off.

Still waiting to see the play, and I hope that it is enjoyable, but unfortunately my expectations are low.
 

DrToffnar

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Tummy said:
Wrote my thesis on Harry Potter :), uber nerdy Harry Potter fan (along with The Lord of the Rings/Tolkien) and adore the books. The films are somewhat of a guilty pleasure.

Could barely get past the first few pages of The Cursed Child, thought it was utter drivel, it was like bad fan fiction where the characters/universe just 'feel' off.

Still waiting to see the play, and I hope that it is enjoyable, but unfortunately my expectations are low.
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Nice! My cousin did the same :)

A lot of people espouse the opinion that it's just a script and therefore can't be judged when it's off the stage. Rubbish. A good story will transcend all mediums. I can't imagine it's quite so offensive to a non Potter fan but even then you can't deny it's a poor and lazily scripted narrative.
 

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DrToffnar said:
Nice! My cousin did the same :)

A lot of people espouse the opinion that it's just a script and therefore can't be judged when it's off the stage. Rubbish. A good story will transcend all mediums. I can't imagine it's quite so offensive to a non Potter fan but even then you can't deny it's a poor and lazily scripted narrative.
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That is absolutely correct; your assertion that scripts cannot be judged off the stage is rubbish.

I've read some fantastic plays over the years; prior to seeing them on stage, a good script is that, a good script.
 

Skidder

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Saw it yesterday. Final quarter fell apart for me. The characters and relationships were not consistent with the books, particularly the ridiculously angry Harry. Well produced but surprised JK let the story pass as is.
 

VincentHanna

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Holy thread revival

I saw this yesterday (both parts) and though it did have plot holes you could drive a truck through, I did enjoy it

In fact if they tightened it up and made it a movie with the surviving members of the Harry Potter movie cast in say, 15 years and made it similar to what Back to the future part II did, it would be pretty cool.
 
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